Communist set for trial return

Michael Freedman will unveil a host of his carnival hopefuls at the Randwick trial session on Friday, headlined by Group 1 winner Communist.

With the retirement this season of stable star Forbidden Love, Freedman is relying on a mostly young team of rising three and four-year-olds to form the backbone of his spring arsenal.

Communist has already proven himself at the highest level with a Randwick Guineas victory and makes his first public appearance since the autumn in a 900m course proper heat on Friday which also includes seasoned weight-for-age star Alligator Blood.

“Friday will be a bit of a pipe-opener just to brush the cobwebs off,” Freedman said.

“The plan will be to give him another one in a couple of weeks’ time and if he looks like he’s going to be capable of being competitive, we might look at a race like the Winx (Stakes) first up for him.”

Freedman is keeping an open mind on where Communist will end up this spring but says races like the Epsom Handicap (1600m) and Golden Eagle (1500m) will both be considered.

Widden Stakes placegetter Mumbai Muse will step out in the same heat as Communist having been off the scene since finishing unplaced in the Silver Slipper in February.

“She pulled up after her second run with a bit of an issue so we had to pull up stumps,” Freedman said.

“Hopefully that will be a blessing in disguise. She’s had a nice long spell, she’s come back a bit bigger and stronger and seems to be the finished article now in terms of her physical presence.

“We will kick her off with a pretty soft trial on Friday, look at giving her another one in a couple of weeks and see where we get to from there.”

Also down to trial is the emerging Hip Hip Hurrah, who claimed the scalp of subsequent Group 1 placegetter Miracle Of Love in winning the Listed Woodlands Stakes at Scone in May.

With limited options for the sprinting fillies in Sydney beyond the first two legs of the Princess Series, Hip Hip Hurrah could well find her way to Melbourne.

“Depending on how she comes back and how she’s going, we may look at Melbourne for her and a race like the Quezette,” Freedman said.

There will be 17 heats at Friday’s trial session with the likes of Caulfield Guineas winner Golden Mile, Tulloch Lodge stayers Knights Order and Hoo Ya Mal and their promising young stablemates Platinum Jubilee and Townsend all set to compete.